1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing technology, and more particularly relates to an image coding and decoding method and apparatus therefor which takes error processing into consideration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, image processing and compression methods such as those proposed by MPEG (Motion Picture Expert Group) have expanded to be used with transmission media such as network and broadcast rather than just storage media such as CDs. Generally speaking, the success of the digitization of broadcast materials has been caused at least in part by the availability of MPEG compression coding technology. In this way, a barrier that previously existed between broadcast and other types of communication has begun to disappear, leading to a diversification of service-providing businesses. Thus, we are facing a situation where it is hard to predict how the digital culture would evolve in this age of broadband.
Even in such a chaotic situation, it is clear that the direction of the compression technology of motion pictures will be to move to both higher compression rates and better image quality. It is a well-known fact that block distortion in MPEG compression is sometimes responsible for causing degraded image quality and preventing the compression rate from being improved. Another problem that occurs in compression algorithms is poor tolerance of errors. Unlike reading data from storage media, this is particularly an issue for transmission of data through networks such as the Internet in which data delivery can be subject to a greater number of errors.